Awesome cash boost for community sports hub

The SAPC in Darnley is a volunteer led community sports hub providing football and other fun sporting activities for local youngsters aged 12 to 17.

The SAPC was created to provide free sport, help embrace diversity and improve the lives of young people and their families in and around Darnley, Greater Pollok and the surrounding areas of Glasgow South.

Founder Thomas Buik, started the group by convincing the local primary school to allow a storage container to sit on their grounds filled with sporting equipment. His vision is to be able to reduce anti-social behaviour and vandalism by involving young people in sport and development opportunities.

With a generous grant for the Awesome Foundation, the Community Sports Hub are able to hire a local football pitch, allowing football games to continue on Friday nights for the local young people.

With more than 40 volunteers, the SAPC Community Sports Hub not only provides opportunities to play sport, meet new people and enjoying health benefits of playing a team game, but it also allows members of the group to learn how to lead the group themselves.

When the young people reach the age of 16, many of them will become volunteers, supporting the younger groups to see the benefits that they have.

Thomas Buik said: “It’s great to realise we are an awesome group doing awesome activity. We don’t do it for recognition but for the love of sport and community.

“Thank you, Awesome Glasgow for believing in what we do.”

Christopher, 14, said: “I am delighted to think that I was able to help all my pals get funding that would let us play football over the summer months.”